Folding crate.



G; E. EVANS. FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILLED MAR. 25, 1909.

925,628. v Patented June 22, 1909.

THE NORRIS FETERS ca., WASHINGTON, 0.

TEN FFTCE.

CHARLES E. EVANS, OF WEED, CALIFORNIA.

FOLDING CRATE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. EvANs, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Weed, California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Folding Crates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of crates in which there are side bars and end cross bars resting on the side bars, and my invention consists of a cover or top for such a crate composed of parallel separated strips arranged in two sliding sections and provided with locking means, as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of part of a crate with its top embodying my invention, showing the cover or top in the act of being placed in position; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the top with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a plan view of the cover with the parts in the position they occupy when the cover is locked to the crate; Fig. 4 a longitudinal section showing the cover in position locked to the crate; Fig. 5 a longitudinal section showing the cover applied to the crate before the parts are brought into position to be connected with the crate.

My improvement is especially applicable to that class of receptacles termed crates having side bars A, A and end cross bars B, B, resting upon the side bars and where the cover is supported by the side bars and locked with the cross bars.

As shown my improved cover or top consists of two series of strips 0, C, D, D, which are parallel to each other and separated to any desired extent with any desired number of strips in each series, and the strips of one series, as for instance the strips C, are connected by cross bars or pieces E, E G, while the strips D, D of the other series are connected by cross bars F, F, and the ends of some or all of these cross bars or pieces project laterally beyond the strips so as to rest upon the upper bearing bars A of the crate.

The cross pieces E, F, near the ends of the cover are placed at a short distance back of said ends which therefore project beyond thesecross pieces so that the ends may be introduced beneath the cross bars B, B, and the cross pieces are so connected with the difierent strips at such distances apart that when the two sections of the cover are shifted so as to carry the cross pieces E, F tol Specification of Letters Patent,

Application filed March 25, 1909.

Patented June 22, 1909.

Serial No. 485,747.

ward each other to the limit of their movement the projecting ends of the strips at one end may be introduced beneath one of the cross bars B, as shown in Fig. 1, and the cover may then be dropped down to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and

then the separation of the end bars E, F carries one section of the cover longitudinally to project the ends of its strip beneath the other cross bar, as shown in Fig. 4, the cover being thereby held in position by the bearing of the ends of the cross pieces upon the upper bearing bar A, and by the projecting ends of the two sections beneath the cross bars B.

The extent to which one series of cross bars can be carried to the right is defined by the distance between the cross piece E and the cross piece F, bringing one against the other, while the extent to which the parts may be moved in the opposite direction is defined by two cross pieces F, G, which are connected to the two sections and which are brought together when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3. It will be seen therefore that in order to introduce the cover into position to be secured to the crate it is not contracted longitudinally, the strips 0, C for instance, being greater in length than the distance between the bars B, B, but the cross pieces E, F can be brought nearer together to permit the ends of the strips to be passed beneath one of the cross bars B to such an extent that the opposite ends may be carried down past and then carried beneath the other cross bar, in which position the cover will be'inplace. It is necessary however to lock the parts in this position as otherwise the strip E might be carried toward the strip F, or the reverse, was to permit the cover to be readily detached, and I therefore provide a locking means consisting of a strip H, flexibly connected with one or more of the cross pieces, as for instance the cross pieces E, F, to which the strip H is nailed or riveted at its middle and outer end,

while the other end'cross piece F is provided with a block I constituting a member or section of the central strip H and inline with said strip so as to constitute an abutment for the end thereof, which tends to hold the two sections of the cover immovably in place with the cross pieces F, G incontact' as shown in Fig. 3. This is the'position the parts occupy in Fig. 4 when the cover is locked in place. The unlocking of the cover however may be readily effected by pressing upon the end of the flexibly connected strip H to carry it down to the position shown in dotted lines Fig. 4, when by drawing the cross pieces E, F, toward each other the end of the member H will be carried beneath the member I and the cross pieces E and I will be brought to such a position as to carry the ends of the strips C, (J from beneath the adjacent cross bar and permit the cover to be removed.

It will be evident that there may be any number of strips in the different series and that any desired number of cross pieces may be used.

Without limiting myself to the construction and arrangement shown, I claim:

1. A top for a crate consisting of parallel strips connected to form two sliding sections, one of said strips divided transversely, and one member connectedwith one section and the other connected with the other section so as to be swung down out of line with the first-named member for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination in a crate cover of parallel separated strips and connected cross pieces, intermediate strips and other cross pieces connecting the same, and a strip in two sections one connected at the outer end with the cross piece connecting one series-of strips and the other connected to the cross pieces connecting the other series of strips for the purpose described. v

3. The combination in a crate cover of parallel separated strips and connected cross pieces, intermediate strips and other cross pieces connecting the same, the cross pieces projecting at the ends beyond the side strips, and a strip in two sections one connected at the outer end with the cross piece connecting one series of strips and the other connected to the cross pieces connecting the other series of strips'for the purpose described.

4. The combination in a crate cover of two series of parallel stri s and different cross pieces connected to t e different series, and a locking strip connected flexibly with the cross piece of one series and a block normally in line with the locking strips connected with a cross piece of the other series. 5. The combination in a crate cover of two series of parallel strips and different cross.

pieces connected to the different series, some of said cross pieces extending beyond the strips, and a locking strip connected flexibly with the cross piece of one series, and a block normally in line with the locking strips connected with a cross piece of the other series.

6. The combination in a crate cover of two series of parallel strips and different cross pieces connected to the different series back of the ends thereof, and a locking strip connected flexibly with the cross piece of one series, and a block normally in line with the locking strips connected with a cross piece of the other series.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. EVANS. WVitnesses:

MATHEW V. GEAGAN, J. W. WHITE. 

